Psychedelics, studied from 1943 to 1970 as potential treatments for mental health disorders including addiction, were halted in the early 1970s by the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. As psychedelic-assisted therapy develops, nurses can decide their role in clinical and scholarly research. The article proposes that nurses become familiar with the history, language, and scientific findings of psychedelic research, learn about existing therapy and research resources, examine their own thoughts and judgments about therapeutic psychedelic use, and consider nursing's potential role in these therapies going forward.
Entheogens—medicines that induce experiences of the sacred—show promise in helping patients with advanced serious illness find meaning, reduce fear, and increase joy and acceptance. Clinical trials have yielded impressive preliminary findings on their healing potential, yet nursing literature has not engaged with these advancements. The article introduces scholarly dialogue on integrating entheogens into spiritual and holistic nursing care, provides a brief history of their global use, and includes a case study. Evidence-based knowledge on this sensitive topic is needed to foster understanding, advance scientific knowledge, and create healing environments for patients, nurses, and researchers.